Story detail/Breakdown: First Chapter - The Wolf's Den

 

Story Summary

A counter-terrorist operative infiltrates a warehouse believed to be sheltering terrorists. The mission takes a sinister twist when the team discovers a neuro-agent from the Cold War named Code Perceforest, capable of inducing hallucinations and distorting reality. Following a fierce shootout and the finding of a transport van, an explosion disperses the agent, causing disorientation for the operative. As they fade into unconsciousness, a shadowy figure drags them away to an uncertain location.

 

Story breakdown  

Act 1 – Infiltration & Setup

• Start at a run-down service station, establishing a grim and abandoned atmosphere.

• Move through an abandoned residential neighbourhood toward the objective—unsettling environmental storytelling builds tension.

• The path leads directly to the warehouse’s rear entrance.

Act 2 – Discovery

• Inside the warehouse is a secret biological research lab.

• The terrorists have uncovered Code Perceforest, a neuro-agent.

• The agent causes:

  • Hallucinations

  • Memory fragmentation

  • Total spatial disorientation

  • Perception of the environment as hostile and distorted

Act 3 – Combat Escalation

• A brutal gunfight erupts with the remaining terrorists.

• Evidence of a larger threat is discovered:

  • Maps of London

  • Explosives

  • Communication equipment

  • Active delivery van in the warehouse

 Act 4 – Collapse & Mutation

• Upon opening the van doors, the van exploded, releasing a toxic green mist (the neuro-agent).

• Bodycam feed flickers—the distortion begins.

• The player is pulled back from the car explosion.

• A mysterious humanoid figure drags them away, suggesting further story beyond the mission.

 

Story detail/Breakdown: Second Chapter - Homecoming

 

Story Summary

Caught in a gas-induced hallucination, the player ends up in a distorted version of their childhood home. Faced with warped enemies symbolizing inner demons, they journey through a psychological spiral of trauma and guilt. The chapter concludes in a bizarre basement filled with body bags and a flickering elevator that drags them deeper into madness.

 

Story breakdown 

Opening Sequence

• Chapter begins with static burst → screen cuts to black

• Player’s vision is fully obscured (bag over head); input limited to audio only

• Audio cues: fluorescent hum, distant voices, door slamming, pressurized gas hiss

• Disorientation sets in—no visual frame of reference

 Psychological Shift

• Visuals return to reveal a dilapidated suburban home

  • Rust-stained walls, boarded windows, warped geometry

  • Erratic VHS filter mimics corrupted memory and perception distortion

• Reality is unstable—this is a mental projection caused by trauma and exposure to the neuro-agent

 Narrative Exploration

• The core of the chapter is environmental storytelling

  • Players discover:

    • Documents, fragmented photos

    • Audio logs and "memory echoes"

• Story reveals protagonist Carter’s:

  • PTSD from past operations

  • Strained family relationships

  • Buried guilt and trauma

 Combat Emergence

• Discovery of a sidearm trigger’s hostile encounters

• Enemies appear as:

  • Twisted soldiers

  • Shadow-terrorists

• These represent manifestations of guilt and emotional trauma

Descent and Climax

• Player descends into a nightmarish basement

  • Encounters body bags, distorted versions of past failures

  • More shadow entities emerge, intensifying psychological horror

• Player reaches an elevator—symbolic exit or deeper descent

• Final moment: bodycam glitches, heavy distortion → fade to black

 

 

Story detail/Breakdown: Third Chapter - The Labyrinth

Story Summary

The player wakes up in The Labyrinth, a cold, industrial nightmare that represents their repressed emotions. They confront hidden truths while navigating its harsh corridors and facing aggressive beings. A crucial meeting with Lisa, a symbol of a lost loved one, compels the player to confront their guilt and sorrow. Accepting her loss provides emotional closure, and an elevator signifies their return to reality.

Breakdown

Setting & Tone

• Player awakens in The Labyrinth—a massive, brutalist structure

  • Harsh concrete walls, industrial piping, cavernous pits

  • Cold, oppressive atmosphere emphasizing isolation and psychological pressure

• Contrasts heavily with the surreal, personal horror of Chapter 2 ("Homecoming")

Gameplay & Encounters

• As the player explores, they face hostile entities

  • Reflect internalized fear and resistance to letting go

  • Combat and stealth segments increase tension and urgency

 Emotional Core – Lisa’s Encounter

• Deeper into the facility, the player finds Lisa, the protagonist’s deceased wife

  • She’s seated in a small barred cell, calmly watching

  • Her dialogue is unnervingly clear and emotionally precise

• Lisa isn’t hostile—she functions as a psychological mirror, not an enemy

  • Challenges the protagonist’s denial and guilt

  • Forces him to confront that his obsession with her memory is damaging and unreal

 Resolution & Transition

• After their emotional exchange, the protagonist reaches acceptance

• Leaves the cell and finds an elevator—symbolic of emotional release or transition

• Interaction triggers a fade to black, with only quiet breathing heard

• Then, a sudden sharp breath in—signalling the protagonist waking up

• Player returns to the real world, alone, changed

 

 

Story detail/Breakdown: Forth / Ending Chapter - Endgame

Story Summary

Returning to reality, the player breaks free from captivity and navigates a heavily fortified compound, confronting terrorists and grappling with persistent hallucinations. In their struggle for survival, they reconnect with their team and ultimately reach the control room, where they disable a detonator intended to initiate attacks throughout London, thus resolving both the external menace and their internal struggles.

 

Returned to Reality

• Fade from black to colour: Player wakes up tied to a chair, back in the real world

• Player rocks the chair to the ground, shattering it and escaping restraints

• Staggers upright, regains limited movement and control

 Combat Phase

• Faces real-world enemies:

  • Terrorist remnants

  • Private military contractors trying to contain the outbreak

• Combat is:

  • Fast-paced

  • Brutal and intense

  • Claustrophobic, in tight industrial spaces

 Environmental Navigation

• Fights through a collapsed security wing

• Bypasses a barricaded lab filled with distorted memories and flickers of hallucinations

• Reconnects with task force via static-filled radio transmission

 Final Objective

• Navigates through a final gauntlet of enemies and residual psychological effects

• Reaches the main detonator chamber:

  • A server-filled control room

  • High-tech explosive rig tied to remote bombs across the city

Climactic Resolution

• Player, now back in communication with allies, destroys the detonator

• Prevents mass catastrophe

• Concludes the immediate threat—mission accomplished, but emotional and psychological scars remain

 

 

Game Ideas, concepts, and Inspiration

 

Game Idea

Rec draws on a diverse mix of influences from video games, films, and television, crafting a hybrid experience that merges visceral survival horror, psychological unravelling, and military thriller suspense. These inspirations inform the game’s tone, mechanics, and narrative design, contributing to its unique identity and voice.

 

Game Ideas and Influences

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Silent Hill (series)

The Silent Hill series, most notably Silent Hill 2, significantly shapes for Rec, particularly in terms of its psychological layers, environmental aesthetics, and narrative atmosphere. Just as the fog-laden town of Silent Hill reflects the protagonists’ hidden guilt and emotional scars, Rec creates environments that serve as symbolic representations of the player's inner conflict. The settings in Rec mirror the protagonist's mental state, featuring distorted architecture, warped geometry, and a fusion of domestic spaces with industrial horror to convey themes of loss, denial, and repressed guilt.

Symbolic settings where an ordinary home transforms into a crumbling trap or hallway loop indefinitely pay tribute to Silent Hill’s expertise in psychological worldbuilding. These shifting, surreal environments are central to Rec's level design philosophy. Rather than relying on typical horror mechanisms like jump scares or gore, the game employs unsettling architecture and emotionally charged spaces to cultivate a pervasive, existential dread.

Silent Hill 2 also inspires Rec’s environmental storytelling and creature design, reflecting aspects of the human psyche. Just as Pyramid Head embodied James Sunderland’s punishment and suppressed guilt, the grotesque foes in Rec illustrate the protagonist’s traumatic history, moral shortcomings, and psychological disarray. Each enemy transcends mere combat; they serve as metaphors—antagonistic entities molded by personal memories, unprocessed grief, or fear of one’s choices. This design philosophy underscores a key principle in Rec: horror gains its greatest impact when it’s personal and internalized.

In conclusion, Silent Hill’s influence on Rec extends beyond aesthetics; it shapes the game’s overall structure. From pacing and narrative execution to visual storytelling and the blurred boundaries between reality and hallucination, Rec continues the tradition of psychological horror as a form of emotional exploration—a journey within, where each corridor and adversary reveals something unsettling about oneself.

 

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Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard shapes Rec’s approach to first-person horror. It influences the game's perspective, pacing, and its focus on isolation, vulnerability, and grotesque biological horror. RE7 marked the franchise's return to survival horror roots, enhanced by a modern twist that immerses players in terror through a close, engaging first-person camera. Rec takes this concept further by adding a bodycam view, featuring grainy VHS filters, slight distortions, and minimalist UI design, enhancing player immersion in the game world. The camera work's closeness brings realism and heightens psychological claustrophobia, making every corner seem perilous and every encounter intensely personal.

The impact of RE7 can also be seen in Rec’s level design and pacing of encounters. The environments are carefully crafted, often showcasing narrow hallways, blind corners, and cramped areas where escape feels improbable and visibility is limited. This design choice amplifies the sense of dread and loss of control reminiscent of navigating the Baker family estate in RE7, where the oppressive walls seem to close in as danger approaches. In Rec, settings like the warehouse, the makeshift lab, and distorted home interiors mirror that same overwhelming atmosphere, creating a space that feels both unavoidable and invasive.

Moreover, Rec embraces RE7’s principles of resource management and tactical survival. Supplies such as ammunition, health items, and tools are scarce, compelling players to make thoughtful decisions with each encounter. This creates a gradual tension, where fear arises not only from the monsters but also from the player’s diminishing capacity to confront them. This tension is intensified by Rec's unpredictable and psychologically complex foes, turning every confrontation into a precarious and hazardous situation.

Most notably, Rec draws inspiration from RE7’s portrayal of grotesque biological experiments turning awry. While RE7 explores mutagenic viruses and disturbing transformations, Rec investigates the neuro-agent "Code Perceforest"—a Cold War-era chemical that doesn’t kill but instead disrupts perception, causes hallucinations, and changes one’s sense of space and emotions. Similar to the Baker family’s spiral into madness, the neuro-agent's victims in Rec metamorphose into erratic, monstrous versions of themselves, serving as poignant symbols of lost identity and fractured humanity.

In conclusion, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard demonstrates that horror resonates most when it is immersive, realistic, and profoundly personal. Rec builds upon this foundation, blending psychological decay with physical horror, crafting an experience that feels both immediate and unsettlingly intimate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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F.E.A.R.

Monolith’s F.E.A.R. is an essential creative reference for Rec, providing a framework for merging military realism with supernatural horror to craft an exceptionally unsettling experience. At its heart, F.E.A.R. seamlessly integrates tactical gunplay—featuring intelligent AI and intense firefights—with an ongoing sense of narrative and spatial instability fueled by supernatural elements. Rec builds upon this foundation, creating a similarly hybrid combat loop that blends grounded, high-stakes military confrontations with psychological breakdowns, hallucinations, and distortions of reality. This interplay of control and chaos is central to Rec’s gameplay, characterized by periods of intense, calculated combat interspersed with unpredictable horror.

F.E.A.R.’s signature hallucinatory flashbacks, spatial distortions, and fleeting time lapses have significantly shaped how Rec addresses perception and memory. Just as F.E.A.R. prompted players to question reality through abrupt trauma and spectral occurrences, Rec utilizes its neuro-agent narrative to create fragmented storytelling, VHS-like distortions, and environmental alterations that feel both surreal and deeply emotional. This is particularly evident in scenes like the protagonist’s return to a distorted family home or their journey through stark, labyrinthine facilities—where perceptions are influenced as much by memory and trauma as by the actual surroundings.

Furthermore, F.E.A.R.’s combat design philosophy Is emphasizing on responsive AI, chaotic close-quarters interactions, and tactical engagements in tight spaces which significantly impacts Rec’s firefights. In Rec, the encounters with enemies are claustrophobic and aggressive. In later chapters where players confront both military forces and hallucination-induced opponents at once. The enemy AI is intentionally unpredictable, blending hallucinated threats with real ones, compelling players to question their own senses during intense battles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Backrooms (Found-Footage and Liminal Horror)

The viral legend of The Backrooms, which they are characterized by infinite yellow corridors, buzzing fluorescent lights, and a haunting sense of unreality, is a central stylistic and conceptual element of Rec. This influence is particularly evident in how Rec portrays liminal spaces: settings that evoke a sense of eerie familiarity yet feel fundamentally wrong, reminiscent of places we recognize, such as a gas station restroom, an empty stairway, or a deserted hallway—but modified in ways that challenge reason. Like The Backrooms, Rec employs these environments not merely as backgrounds but as psychological instruments. As players navigate, the spatial arrangement subtly alters, featuring looping passages, doors that open to illogical places, and layouts designed to disorient. These bizarre spatial shifts emphasize the notion that the world is reacting to the hallucinogenic effects of the neuro-agent “Code Perceforest.”

In terms of aesthetics, Rec heavily draws from the horror roots of The Backrooms. The grainy, bodycam filter, erratic VHS noise, and compression artifacts resonate with the feel of found-footage horror. These visuals are not mere effects, they extend from the protagonist’s distorted perception, creating an impression that the player is observing corrupted surveillance rather than engaging with a stable reality. The world flickers, jitters, and seems to tear apart, reflecting the anxiety and confusion in The Backrooms games. Even in tranquil moments, the sense that “something is off” is tangible, lingering in the buzzing lights, elongated shadows, and unsettling architectural choices.

Rec also employs the psychological discomfort of liminal horror to amplify player vulnerability. Without distinct visual reference points, navigation becomes instinctual and fraught with tension. As players delve deeper into these warped spaces, the environment becomes increasingly illogical. Rooms contract, ceiling tiles throb, and hallways extend longer behind than ahead. This echoes the horror present in The Backrooms—the fear of becoming lost in a space that shouldn’t exist, where the adversary might not be a creature but the very environment itself.

Outlast

Red Barrels' Outlast significantly impacts the visual style, emotional pacing, and immersive viewpoint of Rec. At its essence, Outlast pioneered the contemporary use of found-footage horror in interactive gaming media, which influenced me for my game Rec. The use of a bodycam perspective in Rec transcends mere aesthetics; it is fundamentally tied to Outlast’s dedication to first-person intimacy, turning the screen into a portal to experience panic, instability, and powerlessness. Like the camcorder night vision and grainy effects in Outlast, Rec utilizes VHS distortion, flickering analog static, and compression noise to enhance the sense that players are not just spectators to horror but are instead recording and reliving trauma as it happens.

The impact of Outlast is particularly evident during emotionally charged scenes, such as in the plan of Chapter 2: Homecoming, where it immerses the players in distorted memories and surreal settings. Similar to Outlast's asylum sequences that blur hallucination and reality, Rec creates an environment that acts as an untrustworthy narrator.

While Outlast instilled fear through powerlessness, Rec advances this concept by permitting by weapon combat, providing the narrative warrants it or is relevant to the plot. Thus, making the players feel equally helpless yet accountable for each violent act they undertake. It's not about empowerment; it's about survival. The camera serves as an observer, not a barrier.

In conclusion, Outlast inspires Rec not just visually, but also shapes how players navigate, feel, and react to horror. It establishes the foundation for Rec’s objective: to ensnare the player in a reality that feels too familiar, too fractured to be safe, and too authentic to escape.

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Film & Television Influences

Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

Jacob’s Ladder serves as more than mere inspiration for Rec,  it provides a form for the emotional and thematic core of the film. Rec's story exploration of trauma, grief, dissociation, and reality distortion profoundly influences its approach to horror,  but not merely as a spectacle, but as a journey through psychological disintegration. Like Jacob Singer in Jacob's Ladder, Rec's protagonist is a soldier whose scars are more psychological than physical. These wounds don’t bleed; they manifest through hallucinations, fragmented memories, guilt, and a warped sense of reality that perpetually challenges both the character and the player. Instead of simply terrifying, Rec prompts players to scrutinize everything they encounter, fostering a horror grounded in uncertainty and emotional fragility.

Jacob’s Ladder established a narrative style that blurs the boundaries of hallucination and reality, which Rec adopts through its fragmented and dreamlike storytelling. Environments shift unpredictably, time distorts, and characters emerge as echoes of memories. The chapters in Rec, particularly Homecoming and The Labyrinth, act as psychological spaces reflecting Jacob’s disintegration as he nears the truth.

In summary, Rec transcends mere homage to its influences; it forges a uniquely cohesive experience that blurs and collapses genre boundaries, much like the protagonist’s fragmented sense of self. It is this blend of grounded military realism intertwined with surreal psychological descent that distinguishes Rec

• Bodycam & Analog Horror Aesthetic as Narrative Devices
  Inspired by Outlast, Backrooms, and analog horror series such as Gemini Home Entertainment, Rec employs a bodycam perspective, VHS static, and analog distortion not merely for aesthetic purposes, but as integral storytelling tools. Each visual glitch or tracking error reflects the player’s psychological condition. These are not glitches; they signify the disintegration of memory and the onset of a distorted reality.

• Emotional Horror > Jump Scares
  Like Jacob’s Ladder and Silent Hill 2, Rec does more than challenge players to survive—it compels them to comprehend. The horror is deeply emotional, revolving around themes of memory, loss, and guilt. Every location serves as a metaphor, and each enemy embodies symbolism. The player’s journey is not simply through a haunted building, but into a damaged psyche. Ultimately, the true objective isn’t escape but confronting the truth at the core of the downfall.

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Concept

At its core, Rec revolves around psychological fragmentation. Instead of relying solely on conventional horror elements, the game delves into the mind's internal breakdown. Where the Environment morphs into symbolic representations of the protagonist’s history, this method enables the game to instill horror not just through jump scares, but through the lingering uncertainty of whether what you perceive or enact is real. Much like Silent Hill and Jacob’s Ladder, Rec touches on themes of PTSD, grief, and self-denial, making each step a confrontation with repressed truths.

Another essential aspect is the Bodycam Perspective, which enhances immersion and vulnerability. The game is viewed through a grainy, low-FOV, shaky bodycam lens, fostering a level of intimacy rarely matched in horror games. The analog distortion—glitches, scanlines, tracking errors, and audio dropouts—serves more than aesthetic purpose; it mirrors the player’s mental instability and neurological decline. The camera acts as a character itself, distorting reality in real time, constantly leading players to question their perceptions. It adds a found-footage element reminiscent of Outlast, The Backrooms, and actual tactical footage, pulling players uncomfortably into the experience.

Ultimately, Rec transcends mere survival. It’s about confrontation—of memory, guilt, and truth. Drawing inspiration from Jacob’s Ladder, the game challenges players to interpret their experiences rather than simply follow a linear path. Reality warps and shatters, revealing the emotional reckoning the character must confront. It offers a narrative-driven horror experience that dares to explore deeper questions

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Gameplay mechanics

 

Item Interaction (Blueprint Scripting & Line Trace Logic)

In Rec, engaging with the surroundings involves a hands-on, intentional approach. Players can investigate items, open drawers, flip through photos, and control machinery through Unreal’s line trace interaction system. Each interactive object employs collision channels and interface blueprints to determine if it can be picked up, examined, or utilized. Occasionally, players must rotate objects to uncover hidden clues, reminiscent of Resident Evil 7 and Amnesia.

 

• Held-object physics interaction gives items weight and resistance.

• Some objects (like cassette tapes or documents) trigger VO logs or memory flashes.

• Interactions are minimal HUD, keeping immersion high.

 

Night Vision System (Post Process & Material Blending)

Night vision plays a crucial role in moving through completely dark environments. In contrast to the standard toggle-on/toggle-off functions, Rec’s night vision features a grainy, overexposed bodycam look made possible by Unreal’s post-processing materials..

• Uses post-process blendables for glowing eyes, bloom halos, and vignetting.

• Battery life is finite, requiring players to scavenge power cells.

• In night vision, hallucinations may appear differently, enhancing horror and unreliable perception.

 

Cinematic Animations & Cutscenes (Level Sequences & Montages)

In Rec, cutscenes are seamlessly integrated into gameplay through Unreal’s Level Sequencer and animation montages. While most scenes utilize a bodycam perspective to enhance immersion, cinematic cuts are occasionally employed during intense or disorienting moments..

• Transitions use camera blend tracks and subtle audio shifts.

• Some sequences use camera glitch shaders or jarring edits to simulate memory corruption.

• VO is tightly timed to animations, with reactive breathing and facial muscle blendshapes.

 

Hidden Inventory System (UI and Equip Logic)

Rather than displaying a visible HUD inventory, Rec utilizes a hidden backpack/inventory system accessed via a bodycam-style UI overlay. This approach remains minimal to enhance realism and tension..

• Inventory UI is toggled (press-and-hold style), with flickering analog menus.

• Items are assigned weight and slot types (e.g. tools, ammo, memory items).

• Weapons can jam, degrade, or be lost depending on encounters.

 

 

Weapon mechanics

 

In Rec, gunplay serves not merely as a combat mechanism but as an essential element of the survival horror experience. The weapons convey a sense of brutality, physicality, and realism, enhancing the game’s bodycam viewpoint and immersive nature.

 

Weapon Firing (Shooting Mechanic)

• On trigger input, a firing function spawns a projectile or hitscan line (depending on weapon type).

• Line trace or bullet actor checks for hit detection, impacting the AI or environment.

• Hit feedback includes AI damage reactions, blood decals, and impact sounds.

Muzzle Flash & Visual FX

• Using Niagara or Cascade, a flash effect is spawned at the weapon’s muzzle socket each time it fires.

• Flash intensity and light bloom vary depending on weapon calibre.

• Accompanied by gunshot audio and optional screen shake for immersion.

Bullet Tracer / Projectile Path

• Tracer effect (like a fast-moving light streak) follows the bullet’s trajectory, offering visual feedback.

• In ballistic weapons (e.g., pistols, rifles), a physical bullet actor is spawned with gravity and velocity.

• Adds realism in open spaces and contributes to cinematic horror moments.

Weapon Animation

• Includes idle, shoot, reload, and equip animations tied to player input and weapon states.

• Animations are synchronized with the bodycam sway and recoil to enhance immersion.

• Supports procedural camera kickback and blend space transitions for smooth flow.

AI Interaction

• AI actors acknowledge shots using a custom event system:

  • Hear distance-based gunshots and investigate.

  • Take cover or charge if hostile.

  • React with flinch or death animations upon being hit.

• Line-of-sight and sound detection are integrated with Unreal’s AI Perception System.

Weapon UI – Ammo Count

• A minimalist ammo counter UI floats subtly in a corner or briefly overlays when reloading.

• Built using UMG widgets, tied to a weapon data structure.

• Updates dynamically when firing, reloading, or switching weapons.

 

 

Player character

 

In Rec, establishing a smooth, responsive, and immersive player movement and camera system was crucial for delivering a premium experience. Leveraging Unreal Engine Blueprints, I created a custom solution emphasizing precise control, stable frame rate performance, and seamless camera movement to enhance exploration, environmental storytelling, and emotional immersion. Unlike standard template-based character setups, this system was designed for psychological horror gameplay. Its strong emphasis on accurate movement, low-latency input, and cinematic camera behaviour is vital in a game where atmosphere and tension are perpetually in play.

 

VHS, Analog, and Glitch visual effects

 

In Rec, the visual effects for the player character are essential for immersion and storytelling, utilizing a modular, narrative-driven approach to analogy horror aesthetics. Developed with Unreal Engine’s Post-Processing Material framework, these effects are both modular and expandable, enabling each element being a glitch, distortion, or analogy effect to be easily swapped, blended, or modified for each level. This adaptability allows the visual tone of each chapter to evolve alongside the protagonist’s psychological descent, ensuring the horror experience remains dynamic, personal, and deeply disorienting.

Central to this system are VHS-style post-processing effects that evoke the grainy, degraded aesthetics of found-footage horror. These effects include scrolling horizontal scanlines, desaturation, and color bleed to replicate the visual idiosyncrasies of old CRT displays, along with chromatic aberration that subtly separates RGB channels along the screen edges. Periodic frame jitter, where the entire display experiences slight shifts where this imitates an analogy tape tracking errors and enhances the sense of instability. These visuals are layered with procedural grain and noise, influenced by real-time noise textures that vary according to the player’s stress, health, or environment, thereby adding a psychological feedback layer.

Further enhancing this visual language are overlay textures such as VHS timestamps, static distortion, and video tracking bars, which are applied directly to the HUD. These overlays activate during pivotal narrative moments, like hallucinations or significant story beats, effectively integrating diegetic UI elements into the main character's emotional and psychological unravelling.

Complementing the analogy aesthetic is a glitch and interference system that is directly linked to the player’s deteriorating mental condition caused by exposure to the experimental neuro-agent. This system employs custom shaders that apply UV distortion, pixel displacement, and horizontal tearing to simulate memory corruption and environmental unreality. Glitches appear dynamically from randomly and at other times during scripted.

 

AI Enemies

In Rec, the AI system is crafted to deliver a visceral, reactive, and immersive enemy experience, enhancing the game's tense blend of military realism and psychological horror. Central to this is the enemy AI, which is programmed to respond visually and mechanically to the player’s actions. When a player fires at an enemy, the AI character showcases hit animations that correspond to the impact's direction and location, providing satisfying feedback. Furthermore, a blood decal system is integrated directly into the enemy mesh, allowing bullet impacts to create dynamic and realistic splatters that persist on the body, intensifying the gritty and grounded violence in combat encounters.

AI Enemy Improvements

To advance the enemy system, the strategy is to enhance AI logic using Unreal’s Behaviour Trees and Blackboards. This enables enemies to adapt tactically based on the player’s position, weapon, and state of play. For instance, if an AI's health is low, it might retreat, seek cover, or signal its allies. If part of a group, it could attempt flanking manoeuvres or provide suppressive fire while another enemy approaches. The goal is to ensure every combat encounter remains unpredictable and lively, even in tight spaces.

Another element of realism involves enemy reload animations and combat actions. Instead of firing continuously, enemies will utilize magazine-based ammo logic. When an AI depletes its ammunition, it will execute a reload animation, creating an opportunity for the player to attack or reposition. This reflects the slow-paced combat typical of tactical shooters and survival horror games, boosting realism and strategic depth.

On the player's side, enemy weapon damage will be meticulously balanced to keep the survival horror atmosphere intact. While weapons will be deadly, they won’t result in instant kills. Different enemy types will exhibit varying rates of fire, accuracy, and aggression. Some may focus on suppression, while others will charge at the player, depending on their roles. To enhance this experience, I plan to introduce suppression effects such as visual blurring and heartbeat sounds when players are under heavy fire to mimic stress.

Ultimately, by merging dynamic hit reactions, responsive blood decals, evolving AI logic, realistic reload sequences, and variable damage outputs, the AI in Rec aims to embody both military realism and an unpredictable nature, supporting the game’s continuous blend of tactical combat and psychological tension.

 

 

Concept / Prototype idea mechanics

 

Hallucination Events (Timeline Animations + post-processing)

Hallucinations, which are activated by narrative elements or neurotoxin exposure, serve as a crucial mechanic. They utilize Unreal’s Timeline system, frequently in conjunction with level streaming and post-processing adjustments..

• Players may see doppelgängers, memory echoes, or false paths.

• Time slows or speeds up using custom time dilation curves.

• Audio distortion is key—Unreal’s Sound Cues dynamically pitch or pan hallucinated VO.

 

Puzzle solving

The puzzles in Rec extend beyond mere gameplay challenges—they function as psychological metaphors and narrative tools. Similar to Silent Hill, these puzzles can portray the protagonist's trauma, mental state, or memories, whereas puzzles inspired by Resident Evil enhance the logic and framework of the surroundings (e.g., retrieving keys, unlocking doors, redirecting power).

 

Types of Puzzles

The type of puzzle would be inspired by how the Symbolic Logic Puzzles are and how they are connected to the game

• Interpret cryptic poems, childhood drawings, or warped symbols tied to the protagonist’s psyche.

• For Example, A mural where parts of it are scratched out represents repressed memories; the players must reconstruct the full version through scattered, torn fragments to unlock a hidden passage.

 

Mechanical/Environmental Puzzles (Resident Evil-inspired)

• Levers, fuse boxes, gear systems, and item-combination tasks.

• Example: Find three damaged fuses in an abandoned lab, each hidden in different wings, while hallucinations shift their locations if you're exposed too long to the gas.

Inventory-Based Puzzles

• Examine items in 3D, rotate them, find hidden keys or inscriptions inside.

• Use item A with object B (like classic Resident Evil key + lock or chemical mixing).

• Example: A burned photo contains invisible ink revealed only under night vision—needed to solve a keypad combination.

 

Psychological Gating Mechanisms

• A “door” may only open once the player resolves a narrative truth, rather than finding a key.

• Example: A repeating hallway only ends when the player places a memory item (e.g. a locket) in a specific drawer—symbolically letting go.

 

 Integration into Gameplay

• Break Up Combat & Exploration: Like in Resident Evil, puzzles offer a “cooldown” from intense encounters, giving players a moment to breathe and think, while still feeling tension.

• Encourage Backtracking: Encourage revisiting areas with new knowledge or tools. Make puzzle solutions embedded in environmental storytelling.

• Make the Player Feel Clever (Not Confused): All puzzles should have diegetic logic—they must make sense in the world, even if symbolic. Don’t make puzzles random; make them poetic.

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Blueprint Foundation for Modular Weapon System

 

You've developed your FPS weapon system through a modular, extensible Blueprint architecture, setting the stage for easily integrating new weapon types with minimal additional logic. The essential components include::

• Weapon Base Class (Parent Blueprint):

  • Handles firing, reloading, ammo tracking, FX spawning, and animation calls.

  • Exposes variables like fire rate, damage, clip size, and projectile type.

• Weapon Data Structures:

  • Use a custom Data Table or Struct to define properties for each weapon.

  • Makes switching or adding weapons easy by swapping data profiles.

• Child Blueprints for Weapon Types:

  • Shotgun, Pistol, Rifle, SMG, etc., inherit from the base class.

  • Override specific behaviour (spread, projectile count, reload time, etc.).

• Inventory Integration:

  • Each weapon can be added to the player’s inventory system.

  • Slot-based UI allows equipping and switching on the fly.